Automated medication carts are generally known, with various configurations and different structural arrangements. One example is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,170,929. All automated medication carts require a drive system which, in response to computer commands, presents a compartment in a medication tray containing the medications for a selected patient and/or a selected medication, to a door or port which is accessible to a healthcare professional or other user who administers the medications to the patient.
In operation, these automated carts must be reliable and as fail-safe as possible, i.e. such that only correct medications are available to the healthcare professional for a given patient, eliminating errors in administration of the medications. It is desirable that such a cart have an extended operating life, be easy and convenient to operate and be reasonably priced, with the use of reliable and reasonable cost parts